Improvement in sheep-shears



UNITED 'STATES BENT QFFICE.l

ROBERT H. AUSTIN, OF PLAINSBERG, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHEEP-SHEARS.

Specification forming part of `Letters Patent No. 180,410, dated August l, 1876; application led May 16, 1876.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. AUSTIN, of Plainsberg, in the county of Merced and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheep-Shears; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in shears for shearing sheep and for other purposes, its object being to so construct such instruments that, while they are strong', durable, and efficient they may be manufactured at comparatively little expense, and the 'G parts of which when injured or worn may be replaced by others with ease and facility.

My invention consists in the novel combination and arrangementof two cutting-blades pivoted loosely together, and to a jaw, which f acts as a frame or support. The blades are operated by means of two handles loosely pivoted, one to one of the blades, the other to the jaw, said handles being pivoted together so that the whole acts as an ordinary togglejoint, one of the blades being rigidly secured to the jaw.

The important feature of my invention is the peculiar jaw which forms the support for the blades.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side elevation as shown at a.. The forward end of the handle A is pivoted to the rear end of one of the cutting-blades, while tite forward end of the handle B is similarly pivoted to the rear end of thejaw C. D and E represent the cutting- I blades, one of which, D, is pivoted to the handle A, as before stated, while the other is rigidly secured to the projection F ofthe jaw C, by means of screws c c. The jaw is shown in perspective in'Fig. 3. The inner side of said jaw is formed with a projection, F, to which the blade E is secured, as before stated, so that when said blade is in place it forms, with the extension G of the jaw, a recess or space in which the blade D operates, the two blades being connected together by a pivot, D, passing through them and said extension H H are the ordinary springs inserted between the handles.

By this construction any of the parts which may become worn or injured may be readily removed and replaced by others.

The operation is as follows: By bringing the handles together by the hand of the opel ator their forward ends will be extended, which operating the cutting-blades will cause their cutting-edges to be brought together, as isobvious.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let` ters Patent, is

.Thejaw O, in combination with the blades D E, and loosely-pivoted handles A B, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony' that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. H. AUSTIN. Witnesses:

A. C. McMlLLEN, THos. H. LEGGETT. 

